April 2018



North America News

On February 16, 2018, a Federal Judge vacated the rule published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register to extend the compliance deadline for formaldehyde in composite wood (See test). As a result, the compliance deadline will not be updated.

The judgment summary, No. C 17-06293 JSW, states that the EPA’s most recent year-long delay in implementation of formaldehyde emission standards exceeds its statutory authority under the Formaldehyde Standards in Composite Wood Products Act (15 U.S.C. §2697). Therefore, it is concluded that the rule is beyond the scope of the EPA’s authority and is not in accordance with the Formaldehyde Act. As a result, the Judge stayed the order vacating the rule, 82 FR 44533, until March 9, 2018, so the parties can address the timely and effective implementation of the compliance guidelines.

Based on the vacated ruling, the compliance dates will not be updated and remain as below:

Provisions

Compliance Date

Compliance to emission standards, recordkeeping and labeling

December 12, 2017

Compliance to import certification

December 12, 2018

Compliance to emission standards (laminated product producer)

December 12, 2023

Transition period for CARB Third-Party Certifiers (TPCs) to be TSCA approved TPCs

December 12, 2018

In February 2018, the Department of Ecology (DOE) published a Manufacturer Report Guidance for the Children’s Safe Products Reporting Rule. The guidance provides information to manufacturers for reporting chemicals of high concern to children (CHCC) under the Children’s Safe Product Act (CSPA).

The following key information is provided:

  1. Details of reporting responsibility

  2. Reporting information and details

  3. Clarification on product categories and scope

  4. Clarification on product components

  5. Details of reporting ranges of chemicals

  6. Summary of practical quantitation limits and recommended test methods

  7. Clarification on reporting contaminants and due diligence that the DOE is following

  8. List of chemical functions

  9. Guideline on how to use the DOE’s CSPA Reporting Database

In early 2018, there were a number of State issued bills related to chemical restriction requirements. They are summarized below:

States Bill Number

Bill Title

Proposed Detail

New Jersey

Assembly Bill 2091

Prohibits sale, offer for sale, or distribution of infant products containing bisphenol A

Prohibits the sale and distribution of any infant product made with, or composed in whole or in part of, bisphenol A

Defines an infant product as a product including toys, teething rings or play equipment, that is designed or intended for the care of, or use by a child under 3 years of age

Effective January 1, 2018 upon approval

New Jersey

Assembly Bill 559

An Act Concerning Certain Children’s Products Containing Certain Metals

Prohibits the sale and distribution of a children’s product intended for use by a child under the age of 6 composed of lead, mercury or cadmium.

Defines a children’s product as a toy or play equipment that is designed or intended solely or primarily for the care of or use by a child. It also includes toy or play equipment that comes into contact with a child during use.

7 months following enactment

New Hampshire

House Bill 1214

An Act Prohibiting the Sale of Certain Furniture with Flame Retardant Chemicals

Prohibits the sale and distribution of any upholstered furniture containing in its fabric or other covering or in its cushioning materials more than 0.1% of flame retardants

Defines flame retardants as a chemical for which a functional use is to resist or inhibit the spread of fire. It includes halogenated, phosphorus-based, nitrogen based and nanoscale flame retardant.

Effective January 1, 2019 upon approval

Maryland

House Bill 0084

Public Health - Child Care Products Containing Flame-Retardant Chemicals - Prohibition

Prohibits the sale and distribution of child care products (intended for use by a child under the age of 12 years) that contain more than 0.1%of DecaBDE, HBCD, Additive TBBPA, TCEP or TDCPP

Effective January 1, 2019 upon approval

West Virginia

House Bill 2121

West Virginia Residential Furniture and Children's Products Flame Retardants Act

Prohibits the sale, manufacture or distribution of children’s products or upholstered residential furniture containing 1000 ppm flame retardants (DecaBDE, HexaBDE, PentaBDE, TDCPP and TCEP)

Effective July 1, 2020 upon approval (For manufacturer or wholesaler)

Effective July 1, 2021 upon approval (For retailer)

Europe News

On February 14, 2018, the European Union (EU) issued and approved Regulation (EU) 2018/213 to amend the Regulation (EU) 10/2011 Food Contact Plastic Materials to lower the specific migration limit of bisphenol A (BPA).

In the adopted regulation, the specific migration limit of BPA is updated from 0.6 mg/kg to 0.05 mg/kg (See test). Apart from the specific migration limit, the restriction and specification has been updated:

  1. BPA is not allowed to be used for the manufacture of polycarbonate infant feeding bottles

  2. No migration of BPA is permitted from the plastic materials and articles specifically intended to be brought into contact with food for infants and young children

The new limit will be effective on September 6, 2018.

On January 10, 2018, the European Committee of Standardization (CEN) published a new version of EN 71-8:2018 Safety of toys - Part 8: Activity toys for domestic use. The standard provides requirements and testing methods for activity toys for domestic use often attached to or incorporating a crossbeam, and similar toys intended for children under 14 years to play on or in and often intended to bear the mass of one or more children.

In the standard, it specifies the requirement for:

  • Separately sold accessories for, and components of activity toys

  • Separately sold swing elements that are ready for use on or in combination with an activity toy

  • Construction package for activity toys including components used to build activity toys according to a scheduled building instruction

Upon harmonisation to Toys Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, the standard will become mandatory.

Asia News

On January 3, 2018, the National Environment Agency (NEA) issued update, NEA/HS/6.6, on the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA).

The changes are summarised below:

Current Requirements

Enhanced Requirements

The following batteries are not allowed for local sale:

Mercury oxide batteries

Zinc carbon batteries containing more than 0.001% by weight of mercury per cell

Alkaline (excluding button cell) batteries containing more than 0.025% by weight of mercury per cell

All batteries including button cells containing more than 0.0005% by weight of mercury per cell are not allowed.

The effective date of the enhanced requirements is March 31, 2018.

In China, thousands of consumer products will be inspected and reported when hazards and non-compliance to applicable standards are identified among the products. The market surveillance will be performed on a Province basis, which is updated in a non-regular time frame. The China Market Surveillance from August 2017 to February 2018 is summarized below:

Categories

Frequency

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

21

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

19

Food Contact Material

12

Furniture

7

Tools

6

Jewelry, Watch or other Fashion Accessories

5

Other Categories*

24

*Other Categories include Candles & Burning Items and Accessories, Children’s Product, Computer / Audio / Video / Other Electronics & Accessories, Consumer Chemical, Cosmetics / Bodycare, Footwear, General Use Products, Homeware (Non-food Contact), Lighting Equipment, Packaging Material and Toys and Childcare Articles with a frequency of less than 5.

Province

Pass Amount

Fail Amount

Beijing

93

11

Jiangsu

132

11

Jilin

50

9

Shanghai

841

87

Beijing

397

16

Hebei

80

0

Jilin

16

0

Liaoning

235

10

Ningxia

58

54

Shanghai

942

106

Shanghai

56

4

Shanxi

163

16

Xinjiang

169

21

Zhejiang

228

85

Market Surveillance Summary - China (Last Update Date: February28, 2018)

Province

Product

Product Categories

Total Inspected Amount

Failed Item

Failure Percentage

Pass Amount

Fail Amount

Liaoning

School Uniform

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

45

Fiber content

7%

42

3

Liaoning

Tissue Paper

Cosmetics / Bodycare

30

Longitudinal wet tensile strength

3%

29

1

Liaoning

Wooden Door

Furniture

25

Dipping

4%

24

1

Liaoning

Metal Door

Furniture

10

N/A

0%

10

0

Liaoning

Metal Furniture

Furniture

20

N/A

0%

20

0

Liaoning

Non-Woven Cloth

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

10

Breaking strength (vertical and horizontal)

10%

9

1

Liaoning

Corrugated Carton

Packaging Material

50

Compressive strength

6%

47

3

Liaoning

Rubber Hose and Hose Assembly

Tools

25

N/A

0%

25

0

Liaoning

Rubber Seal Products

Tools

30

Liquid-resistant items

3%

29

1

Jilin

Textile Automotive Interior Products

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

4

N/A

0%

4

0

Jilin

Leather Car Interior Products

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

3

N/A

0%

3

0

Jilin

Plastic Automotive Interior Products

General Use Product

13

N/A

0%

13

0

Jilin

Carpet, Felt Automotive Interior Products

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

11

N/A

0%

11

0

Jilin

Sponge Car Interior Products

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

1

N/A

0%

1

0

Jilin

Degradable Polylactic Acid Products

Food Contact Material

27

Polylactic acid content, lifting test, ash content and sealing strength

33%

18

9

Shanghai

Skin and Hair Care Appliances

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

26

Signs and instructions, input power and current

8%

24

2

Shanghai

USB Power Adapter

Computer / Audio / Video / Other Electronics & Accessories

20

Electrical strength, electrical clearance, creepage distance and insulation penetration distance after heat treatment, conduction disturbance of power terminals, radiation disturbance below 1GHz

40%

12

8

Shanghai

Wood Furniture

Furniture

150

Woodworking requirements, film physical and chemical properties

8%

138

12

Shanghai

LED Control Device

Lighting Equipment

10

N/A

0%

10

0

Shanghai

Self-Ballasted LED Lamp for General Lighting

Lighting Equipment

25

Signs, mechanical strength

12%

22

3

Shanghai

Valve

Tools

60

Body wall thickness measurement, stem diameter measurement

5%

57

3

Shanghai

Ventilator

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

15

N/A

0%

15

0

Shanghai

Casual Clothing

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

84

Fiber content, pH, colorfastness to water, colorfastness to acid and alkali perspiration, decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amine dyes

15%

71

13

Shanghai

Swimsuit

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

31

Fiber content, color fastness to light

19%

25

6

Shanghai

Wallpaper

Homeware (Non-food Contact)

30

Washability

3%

29

1

Shanghai

Bed Linings

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

40

Fibrous raw material requirements, fiber content, water fastness, perspiration fastness, light fastness

10%

36

4

Shanghai

Impregnated Paper Laminated Wood Flooring

Furniture

40

Static bending strength, surface bonding strength, surface abrasion resistance, formaldehyde emission

10%

36

4

Shanghai

Door Control Device

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

20

N/A

0%

20

0

Shanghai

Electric Toothbrush

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

15

Signs and instructions

33%

10

5

Shanghai

Switches for Household and Similar Fixed Electrical Installations

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

40

Signs

3%

39

1

Shanghai

Shirt

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

60

Fiber content

3%

58

2

Shanghai

Knitted T-shirts

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

60

Fiber content

5%

57

3

Shanghai

Shoes

Footwear

32

Fold resistance

22%

25

7

Shanghai

Travel Shoes

Footwear

50

Outsole wear resistance and peeling strength of bottom wall and upper side

8%

46

4

Shanghai

Civil Valve

Tools

35

Pipe thread accuracy

6%

33

2

Shanghai

Sanitary Ware Hose

Tools

21

Threaded connection

5%

20

1

Shanghai

Plastic Shopping Bag

Packaging Material

30

Thickness and Dart Impact

27%

22

8

Shanghai

Tissues

Cosmetics / Bodycare

29

N/A

0%

30

0

Shanghai

Household Gas Stove

Candles & Burning Items and Accessories

45

Energy efficiency

3%

28

1

Shanghai

Fabric Steam Engine

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

50

Signs and instructions, input power and current, leakage current and electrical strength at operating temperature, abnormal operation, power connections and external cords, grounding measures

18%

37

8

Shanghai

Leather Sandals

Footwear

143

Peel strength, folding resistance, pull-out strength of the upper belt, colorfastness of the lining and inner cushion, shoe steel hook

16%

42

8

Jiangsu

Toys

Toys and Childcare Articles

30

Identification and usage instructions, mechanical and physical properties

8%

132

11

Beijing

Single Door Cabinet, Three Pumping Activity Cabinet

Furniture

30

Mechanical properties (cabinet stability)

7%

28

2

Beijing

Student's Wear (women's long-sleeved T-shirt, knitted trousers)

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

41

The measured value of the fiber content is inconsistent with the apparent value, the fiber composition and content, and the marked item does not meet the standard requirement

10%

37

4

Beijing

Commercial Desktop Plain Cooker

Food Contact Material

298

Signs and instructions

3%

290

8

Beijing

Air Purifier

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

74

Mechanical strength, abnormal operation, leakage current and electrical strength

5%

70

4

Hebei

Plastic tool (for food)

Food Contact Material

39

N/A

0%

39

0

Hebei

Non-Composite Film Bags (for food)

Food Contact Material

29

N/A

0%

29

0

Hebei

Plastic Sheet (for food)

Food Contact Material

2

N/A

0%

2

0

Hebei

Metal Cans (for food)

Food Contact Material

4

N/A

0%

4

0

Hebei

Daily Use Ceramics (for food)

Food Contact Material

6

N/A

0%

6

0

Shanxi

Cleaning Products

Consumer Chemical

61

Total active content item

3%

59

2

Shanxi

Vintage Glasses

Jewelry, Watch or other Fashion Accessories

26

Ball lens vertex deviation, optical center horizontal distance tolerance, optical center unilateral horizontal tolerance, optical center vertical mutual difference, logo item

15%

22

4

Shanxi

Light fixture

Lighting Equipment

35

Structure (trunks), external wiring (cross-sectional area) and internal wiring (cross-sectional area), insulation resistance, and electrical strength items

20%

28

7

Shanxi

LED Control Device

Lighting Equipment

31

Power factor and lamp interchangeability items

6%

29

2

Shanxi

Beauty salon equipment

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

26

Input power deviation, power connection and external cord items

4%

25

1

Jilin

Electric Blanket

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

16

N/A

0%

16

0

Shanghai

Down Feather

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

41

pH value, fleece content

7%

38

3

Shanghai

Knitted (warmth) Underwear

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

60

Fiber content; Insulation rate

7%

56

4

Shanghai

Electric Water Heater (fast heating type)

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

5

N/A

0%

5

0

Shanghai

Electric Water Heater (water storage type)

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

20

Rated capacity, 24h inherent energy consumption coefficient, hot water output rate, energy efficiency rating

10%

18

2

Shanghai

Domestic Gas Fast Hot Water

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

19

Hot water yield

5%

18

1

Beijing

Household Appliances

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

74

N/A

12%

65

9

Shanghai

Travel Bags

General Use Product

30

Oscillating impact performance, walking performance and tie rod fatigue resistance

40%

18

12

Shanghai

Portable Microcomputer

Tools

14

N/A

0%

14

0

Shanghai

Household Sweeping Machine

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

15

N/A

0%

15

0

Shanghai

School Bag

Children Product

30

Vibration impact performance, stitch strength and rubbing fastness

37%

19

11

Shanghai

Spectacle Lenses

Jewelry, Watch or other Fashion Accessories

40

Lens size, UV resistance (expressed indicators) and impact resistance (expressed indicators)

10%

36

4

Shanghai

Air Purifier

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

27

Protection against contact with live parts, stability and mechanical hazards, formaldehyde purification energy efficiency, noise (sound power level)

7%

25

2

Shanghai

Plastic Drinking Bottle (cup)

Food Contact Material

90

N/A

0%

90

0

Shanghai

Disposable Plastic Tableware Products

Food Contact Material

125

N/A

0%

125

0

Shanghai

Shavers, hair clippers

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

20

Heat and flame resistant

15%

17

3

Shanghai

Children’s Chopstick

Food Contact Material

100

N/A

0%

100

0

Shanghai

Wool Knitwear

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

63

Fiber content

11%

56

7

Shanghai

Sportswear

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

53

Fiber content, colorfastness to dry rubbing, surface moisture resistance (before washing), hydrostatic pressure (before washing)

6%

50

3

Shanghai

Power Adapter (Information Technology Equipment)

Computer / Audio / Video / Other Electronics & Accessories

23

Clearance creepage distance and insulation penetration distance, power terminal conducted disturbance

13%

20

3

Shanghai

Tablet

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

20

Electrical strength after wet heat treatment; electrical clearance, creepage distance and insulation penetration distance; resistance to abnormal heat

10%

18

2

Shanghai

Student Supplies Ballpoint Pen

Children's Product

28

Pen top cap security, migrating elements, initial write performance, writing performance, water resistance, intermittent writing

14%

24

4

Shanghai

Anti-Static shoes

Footwear

12

N/A

0%

12

0

Shanghai

Dangerous Packaging, Container Products (plastic packaging)

Food Contact Material

23

N/A

0%

23

0

Shanghai

Match Glasses

Jewelry, Watch or other Fashion Accessories

80

Ball mirror vertex deviation, cylinder axis direction deviation, horizontal deviation of optical center horizontal, optical center horizontal deviation and sign

30%

56

24

Shanghai

Electric Fan

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

50

Signs and instructions, stability and mechanical hazards, structure, power connection and external cord, output air volume, energy efficiency rating, where stability and mechanical hazards, structure, power connections, and external cords are severely unqualified

12%

44

6

Zhejiang

Electric Hand Warmers

Home Electrical Appliances (Hair Dryer, Iron, etc.)

45

Signs and instructions, protection against touching live parts, input power and current, structure, power connection and external cords

29%

32

13

Zhejiang

Children's Mosaic Mat

Toys and Childcare Articles

12

Small parts released in the foreseeable and reasonable abuse of the product

100%

0

12

Zhejiang

Down Jacket

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

50

Permissible deviation of finished product filling amount, fiber content, quality requirements of fillers, colorfastness to water resistance of fabrics, colorfastness to acid perspiration, alkali fastness to alkali perspiration, and colorfastness to dry rubbing

32%

34

16

Zhejiang

Children's Clothing

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

49

Fiber content, pH value, tensile strength of accessories, string, sewing position of durable label, colorfastness to dry rubbing, colorfastness to wet rubbing, colorfastness to saliva, colorfastness to perspiration

59%

20

29

Zhejiang

Electric Toys

Toys and Childcare Articles

54

Foreseeable and reasonable abuse", "small parts", "precision", "plastic bags or plastic films used in packaging or toys", "packaging used when toys are sold," "product standard numbering

9%

49

5

Zhejiang

Children's Clothing

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

33

N/A

21%

26

7

Zhejiang

Children and Infant clothing

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

40

Colorfastness, fiber content, rope requirements for wet rubbing

8%

37

3

Zhejiang

Bed Lining

Fabric / Textile / Garment / Home Textile

30

N/A

0%

30

0

Ningxia

Glasses

Jewelry, Watch or other Fashion Accessories

60

Optical center horizontal distance deviation, one-sided horizontal deviation of optical center

90%

6

54

Ningxia

Disposable Plastic Tableware

Food Contact Material

52

N/A

0%

52

0

Xinjiang

Glasses

Jewelry, Watch or other Fashion Accessories

130

Cylindrical axis deviation and optical center horizontal distance deviation

1%

129

1

Xinjiang

Furniture

Furniture

60

Mechanical properties, formaldehyde emission, appearance of wooden parts (sealing treatment), product materials, processing (wooden parts)

33%

40

20

Australia/New Zealand News

On February 2, 2018, the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs issued a Product Safety Policy Statement for Button Batteries, Safer Products and Packaging. The policy provides guidance for manufacturers and suppliers of button batteries to help reduce the risk associated with button batteries and improve household product safety.

In the policy statement, it is addressed that products containing or supplied with button batteries shall meet the following requirements:

  1. Secure battery compartment: There should be two mechanisms for release and both of them must be activated to open the compartment.

  2. Use and abuse test: Product should ensure that with expected everyday use, battery compartments cannot be accidentally opened, become insecure or result in the release of batteries. The test includes:

    1. Torque and tension test

    2. Drop test

    3. Battery compartment lid pressure test

    4. Robustness test on the mechanical fastener or compartment latch

Following standards are recommended as references for the battery compartments evaluation:

  1. AS/NZS ISO 8124.1

  2. ISO 8124.1

  3. EN 71-1

  4. ASTM F963

  5. UL 4200A

SASO News

On February 1, 2018, Saudi MCI, has closed three accounts marketing counterfeit and fake products through the social networking site "Instagram". Foreign men and women of Asian nationality used a residential building in the Al-Areeja neighborhood, west of Riyadh, to manufacture and pack fake cosmetics, using materials of unknown origin. The seized cosmetics were valued at more than 2 million Riyals.

After a tip received by MCI, the necessary investigation was carried out and the suspects were arrested and referred to the Public Prosecution in preparation for their referral to the judicial authorities to complete the legal procedures against them. This was done in cooperation and coordination with the joint security campaigns represented by the Riyadh police.

The products stored inside the site included moisturizing and skin whitening cream, aromatic oil and body care items. The machines used for mixing and manufacturing such items were all seized and confiscated, since they pose a danger to the safety of users.

MCI warns against buying from unknown accounts in social networking sites, and calls for purchasing from the electronic stores, or from the accounts and pages that have a C. R. Additionally, consumers should purchase from accounts that are registered and have a service certificate from "Ma’aroof" site, or from the well-known international sites, so as to ensure and preserve the consumers’ rights.

MCI also warns against selling or marketing counterfeit or fake goods through websites and social networking. Since such activity is considered a violation of the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law and Trademark System, which may lead to penalties of up to three years' imprisonment, fines of one million riyals, and deporting the illegal laborers to their countries and writing off the commercial activity.

For more details, please visit: https://mci.gov.sa/en/MediaCenter/News/Pages/01-02-18-01.aspx

Less than 24 hours after the seizure of 2.75 million fake and counterfeit mobile phone accessories, on January 8, 2018, Saudi MCI, seized 25 tons of Raw Tobacco, JRAC and 500 kg Sawdust during regular inspection

2.75 million fake and counterfeit mobile phone accessories were seized at an illegal site in Riyadh. Shortly after, MCI inspection teams detected two illegal warehouses in Jeddah involved in producing counterfeit tobacco.

The inspection teams raided the two warehouses at the Al-Khomrah neighborhood in Jeddah. 21.5 tons raw tobacco, more than 3 tons JRAC ready-for-sale, 500 kg sawdust, 734,860 stickers bearing false trademarks and 50,400 packets of ready mix tobacco were seized.

MCI inspectors detected as well two cases of commercial cover up. Meanwhile, the two sites were shut down and the owners were summoned by the Ministry for taking the necessary legal procedures.

For more details, please visit: https://mci.gov.sa/en/MediaCenter/News/Pages/08-01-18-03.aspx

On January 8th, 2018, after two months of investigation, Saudi MCI inspection teams, in cooperation with the joint security campaigns, raided a large warehouse used for storing counterfeit and fake telecom devices and supplies in Riyadh.

MCI inspectors succeeded in detecting a warehouse and basement used to store counterfeit and fake telecom items at a traditional house in the Aziziyah district south of Riyadh.

The inspection tours, carried out by MCI inspectors in a number of markets in Riyadh two months ago, led to the disclosure of the warehouse that had been supplying counterfeit telecom items to the shops.

The seizures included 2.75 million fake and forged telecom items, such as batteries, chargers and telephone headsets, as well as forged packages and stickers of famous trademarks, including “Apple” and “Samsung”, ready for distribution and marketing.

MCI inspectors, with the support and cooperation of the security forces, monitored illegal laborers involved in fixing fake and poor-quality chargers, batteries, headphones and plugs on the phones, and then they would re-pack such items in cartons bearing international brands, thus misleading the consumers by claiming that they are original.

All fake products were seized and the owner was summoned by the Ministry for further investigation and for taking the necessary legal procedures, in preparation for referring the case to the Public Prosecution.

Such commercial fraud is subject to a fine of one million Riyals or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or both.

For more details, please visit: https://mci.gov.sa/en/MediaCenter/News/Pages/08-01-18-02.aspx

SASO has organized an Energy Efficiency Workshop with traders and Certification bodies to expand the scope of SASO EER to other products.

The workshop was held on the February 28, 2018 at SASO HQ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

New products expected to be added to the scope of SASO EER include small air conditioners, washing machines, dryers, water heaters and refrigerators.

QIMA attended this workshop and more details of the workshop will be released in our next newsletter.

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